What if I ain't no violinist?

144. Twoset Gen β III

"F*ck Eddy why are you crying?"

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Eddy replied between soft sobs.

"I.. just wished ..I could've ..seen your face"

Brett raised his eyebrows.

"WTF you're lookin' at it now!?"

"No! I mean.. for all the time I've known you... I can't believe this is only the second time I got to see your face."

Brett raised an eyebrow.

"Second? Eddy, I thought you said you didn't see anything the first time."

Eddy bit his lower lip.

"I lied. I did see your face back then. I'm sorry."

Brett smirked. Eddy saw that ever so slight rise of the corner of his crush's mouth and his vision blurred out again.

"OMFG Eddy now what !?"

"It's a bit overwhelming to see you like this."

"Is it? Well, you asked for it. I mean, c'mon it's you, of course I don't mind showing you but.. can I see your face this time, Eddy, cos I can't seem to get what the big deal is..."

"OMG"

Eddy looked down at the floor.

"..Brett, you're not gonna be affected like I have by seeing my face."

"How the f*ck would you know?"

"Because I'm.. not like you."

"What the f*ck is that meant to mean?"

"I won't look as good as you do. I've got a very obvious tan line where my mask is. My skin's not in its best condition..OMG and I haven't even shaved for a few days...!! No, no, no, no, I can't show you."

Brett burst out laughing.

"OMG Eddy can you hear yourself?"

Eddy was too distracted with Brett's perfectly aligned teeth.

"Brett.. were you wearing braces?"

"Yeah I had a full set of metal in my mouth during high school. It was the pits. I'm sure I told you when I got them."

"Oh yeah.. I kinda forgot because I've never seen them.. wow your teeth look amazing."

"Um.. thanks."

Brett flashed a smile. Eddy thought his smile was.. radiant.

"So Eddy are you going to show me your face? It's like we've gone back 5 years in time when I made you cry for asking you to take off your mask."

"OMG"

Brett grinned.

"Surely you're not scared of going against your parents at this age?"

"But I..."

"Oh c'mon Eddy I don't want to sound like a 5 year old but I've shown mine twice to you and you haven't shown yours not even once to me."

"OMFG"

"Look, for what it's worth, I am sure I will treasure the experience if you do let me see your face. I get it now. It's.. intimate. I didn't hesitate to show you because it was you, Eddy. It's like letting you play my violin. I wouldn't allow it for just anyone."

Brett's POV

Look, it's just Eddy. I mean, out of all people, it's bloody Eddy. I've known him for years, he's my best friend. I trust him with my violin. Of course I wouldn't mind showing my face to him. I was initially a bit taken aback to see him so emotional about the whole thing though. Me? Of course I've been curious about what he looked like under that bloody mask. But those aren't very appropriate thoughts are they? Especially when I've already made him cry when he was little when I asked him back then. So I had decided then that I would never say anything like that which may upset him. Well.. up until now. Surely, he'd show me now? C'mon mate, this is about you and me. You'd trust me with your violin, wouldn't you?

Eddy's POV

Brett was right. We were all very particular about our instruments and wouldn't lend each other's violins to just anybody. I mean in this day and age we're not supposed to anyway, but mine to Brett? In a heartbeat. And I have borrowed his in the past, too. He didn't even bat an eye and just placed his second most precious thing to his life into my hands.

So maybe Brett did now have an idea why I was so overwhelmed. Or maybe not. Surely he wouldn't be as affected as I have been just because he saw my face? What if I showed him and he was disappointed.. or worse, laughed? I don't think I could take it if that happened. It would destroy me.

All these thoughts were whizzing around in my head when I suddenly sensed Brett had stepped into my personal space. He was within my 1.5m radius circle. I looked up and I almost freaked out. He was standing so close to me. I had not stood so close to anyone like this in years. I often teased him that he was "short" but there was nothing short about him up close. There seemed to be so much of him up close, literary within an arms reach.

And boy I so wanted to reach out and grab him.

To be continued...